# Songs where the title does not appear in the lyrics. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375 "2014-11-23T00:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/1 "2014-11-23T00:51:28Z")
It seems many song titles are simply taken from the lyrics, but there must be plenty where this is not the case. The only one I can think of is “Unchained Melody”. Can Dopers name a few more? ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/2 "2014-11-23T00:52:57Z")
A Simple Desultory Philippic ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/3 "2014-11-23T00:56:03Z")
I think we just did this like a week ago, but another one is Black Dog. ---
**Author:** ![Shaggy\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Shaggy\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaggy_Z)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/4 "2014-11-23T00:58:52Z")
4 Non Blondes - What’s Up? ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/5 "2014-11-23T01:04:46Z")
For What It’s Worth - Buffalo Springfield Baba O’Riley - The Who ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/6 "2014-11-23T01:07:28Z")
[Battle Hymn of the Republic](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORsNiReoCsw) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/7 "2014-11-23T01:39:05Z")
All by Bob Dylan: Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 Fourth Time Around It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry From a Buick 6 Ballad of a Thin Man Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues She Belongs to Me Love Minus Zero/No Limit My Back Pages Ballad in Plain D ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/8 "2014-11-23T01:46:16Z")
“[Maybe The People Would Be The Times, or Between Clark And Hilldale,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkbVosJFkpg)” by _Love_. Actually, every track on Love’s “[Forever Changes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever_Changes#Track_listing)” album, except “Andmoreagain” and “Old Man”. “Queen Bitch,” “Eight Line Poem,” and “Song for Bob Dylan”, all from Bowie’s “Hunky Dory”. That reminded me of “Bohemian Rhapsody” by _Queen_. And, come to that, Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” does not contain the word “stardust”. “SWLABR” and “Badge” by _Cream_. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/9 "2014-11-23T01:56:16Z")
Hair of the Dog - Nazareth (Now you’re messing with a son of a bitch) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/10 "2014-11-23T01:58:31Z")
“Virginia Woolf,” by the Indigo Girls ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/11 "2014-11-23T02:09:24Z")
For What It’s Worth - Buffalo Springfield Baba O’Reily - The Who Life During Wartime - Talking Heads Sympathy For the Devil - Rolling Stones White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane mmm ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/12 "2014-11-23T02:10:30Z")
“N.I.B.”, “Paranoid,” “Warning,”\* and, indeed, “Black Sabbath” by _Black Sabbath_. ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ \*“Warning” was written and originally recorded by Aynsley Dunbar and his band _The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation_. Dunbar’s version’s lyric does not contain the word “warning” , either, but it does begin the chorus with the line “I was warned about you, baby”. In the version on the first, eponymous, _Sabbath_ album, however, Ozzy consistently sings “I was born without you, baby,” instead. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/13 "2014-11-23T02:12:27Z")
59th Street Bridge Song. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/14 "2014-11-23T02:14:22Z")
“Standing Outside A Broken Telephone Booth With Money In My Hand” by Primitive Radio Gods. Which is also the longest song title I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/15 "2014-11-23T02:15:01Z")
“All New Minglewood Blues” and “New, New Minglewood Blues” by _Grateful Dead_. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/16 "2014-11-23T02:15:23Z")
The Crunge - Led Zeppelin (Houses of the Holy) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/17 "2014-11-23T02:19:57Z")
I don’t even know where to begin, there’s so many, especially if you listen to indie/alternative music. I could probably name hundreds, especially in the 90s. But let’s start with pretty much half of the Smashing Pumpkins output, a good bit of Nirvana, a lot of My Bloody Valentine, and I’ll throw in “Song #2” by Blur just to give one by title. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/18 "2014-11-23T02:21:22Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > “Standing Outside A Broken Telephone Booth With Money In My Hand” by Primitive Radio Gods. > > Which is also the longest song title I can think of. “[She was waiting for her mother at the station in Torino, and you know I love you baby, but it’s getting too heavy to laugh](http://www.lyricsmania.com/she_was_waiting_for_her_mother_at_the_station_in_torino_and_you_know_i_love_you_baby_but_its_getting_too_heavy_to_laugh_lyrics_shawn_phillips.html)” by Shawn Phillips. 😉 (And no, none of that is in the lyrics.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/19 "2014-11-23T02:39:25Z")
“The Intro and the Outro” – The Bonzo Dog Band “A Day in the Life” – the Beatles ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375/20 "2014-11-23T02:44:44Z")
[“Deep Song”–Billie Holiday.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZZhD0J3jfM) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-title-does-not-appear-in-the-lyrics/705375.md?page=2)